The Meaning of Isaiah 42:24 Explained

Isaiah 42:24

KJV: Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law.

YLT: Who hath given Jacob for a spoil, And Israel to the spoilers? Is it not Jehovah -- He against whom we sinned? Yea, they have not been willing in His ways to walk, Nor have they hearkened to His law.

Darby: Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? Did not Jehovah, he against whom we have sinned? And they would not walk in his ways, neither did they hearken unto his law.

ASV: Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not Jehovah? he against whom we have sinned, and in whose ways they would not walk, neither were they obedient unto his law.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Who gave  Jacob  for a spoil,  and Israel  to the robbers?  did not the LORD,  he against whom  we have sinned?  for they would  not walk  in his ways,  neither were they obedient  unto his law. 

What does Isaiah 42:24 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 42:14-25 - A Deaf And Blind Messenger
There are times in our lives when God seems to hold His peace. Evil is rife, bad men prosper, society lies under the spell of vice. It is only temporary, however. Then God comes forth out of the silence, and shows Himself "strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him." He brings the blind "by a way that they knew not," and makes "the crooked places straight."
These wonderful things are wrought not for the wise and holy alone, but for the blind and the deaf, who nevertheless desire to serve Him. See Isaiah 42:19. God's help is not conditioned by our merit, but by our faith. In the eyes of men we may be the least fit to claim divine succor. But our deficiencies and failures constitute our most eloquent claim-God knew what we were, before He ever stooped to identify Himself with us. He is pleased to help us "for His righteousness' sake." His name and character must be maintained. Therefore He has magnified the law and made it honorable by the matchless obedience and death of His only begotten Son. See Galatians 4:4-5. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 42

1  The office of Christ, graced with meekness and constancy
5  God's promise unto him
10  An exhortation to praise God for his Gospel
13  God will manifest himself, and check idolatry
18  He reproves the people of incredulity

What do the individual words in Isaiah 42:24 mean?

who gave - for plunder Jacob and Israel to the robbers Was it not Yahweh He whom we have sinned against for not they would in His ways walk nor were they obedient to His law
מִֽי־ נָתַ֨ן [למשוסה] (לִמְשִׁסָּ֧ה‪‬) יַעֲקֹ֛ב וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל ؟ לְבֹזְזִ֖ים הֲל֣וֹא יְהוָ֑ה ז֚וּ ؟ חָטָ֣אנוּ ל֔וֹ וְלֹֽא־ אָב֤וּ בִדְרָכָיו֙ הָל֔וֹךְ וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ בְּתוֹרָתֽוֹ

נָתַ֨ן  gave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
[למשוסה]  - 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
(לִמְשִׁסָּ֧ה‪‬)  for  plunder 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְשִׁוסָּה  
Sense: booty, spoil, plunder.
יַעֲקֹ֛ב  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל  and  Israel 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
؟ לְבֹזְזִ֖ים  to  the  robbers 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: בָּזַז  
Sense: to spoil, plunder, prey upon, seize.
הֲל֣וֹא  Was  it  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
ז֚וּ  He  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: זוּ  
Sense: this, such rel pron.
؟ חָטָ֣אנוּ  we  have  sinned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
ל֔וֹ  against 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
וְלֹֽא־  for  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אָב֤וּ  they  would 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: אָבָה  
Sense: to be willing, consent.
בִדְרָכָיו֙  in  His  ways 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
הָל֔וֹךְ  walk 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וְלֹ֥א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
שָׁמְע֖וּ  were  they  obedient 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
בְּתוֹרָתֽוֹ  to  His  law 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.